How to apply
Guidance on applying to study in the Department of Landscape Architecture.
Applying
All applications to our courses should be made through UCAS.
Each year we have more applications than places for our courses, so please take time to ensure your application fully reflects your interest in the profession and your elected course.
We pay particular attention to the personal statement section of the application and it is worth checking that this clearly states why you are motivated to study landscape architecture, and what steps you have taken to inform this choice.
Applicants will then be asked to submit an electronic portfolio to support your application.
If your application is successful you will then be invited to attend one of our applicant days.
Your portfolio
You will be asked to submit an electronic portfolio so we can assess your visual and creative skills and potential before we make an offer.
For information about what your portfolio could include, as well as ideas and inspiration, please click on the link below.
As a minimum, please try and include:
- Up to 10 drawings, which explore the qualities of three places that are of interest to you
- Two of the places should be public landscapes (for example a public park or nature reserve)
- One should be your street – this should be in a medium of your choice and accompanied by a short piece of text (maximum 200 words)
Your portfolio should contain eye-level sketches, in which you may want to include:
- Observation of detail, communicating place at different seasons or times of day
- Annotations of how a place is used and your own reactions
- Use of different media, if possible.
It is helpful if this includes some observational sketches as well as any other visual work you may have done.
Instructions on how to submit your portfolio will be sent individually.
Applicants studying art and design
If you are taking an art or design-based course please include work recently completed or work in progress.
We understand that some of your work may be unavailable to you due to assessment procedures, so just include what you can.
We welcome design and technology portfolios, though please supplement the design research and process work with freehand drawing from observation. This could be GCSE artwork.
Applicants not studying art and design
If you are not currently studying an art or design course please include examples of any creative work that you have completed recently or in the past.
We especially appreciate examples of freehand observational sketching, so even if you have not had any formal training, get a pencil out and have a go.
If you feel you are inexperienced in drawing you may find the exercises in "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" by Betty Edwards useful.
International Merit Scholarships
We offer a generous package of financial support for international students including 75 undergraduate scholarships worth £10,000 towards the annual tuition fee and 125 postgraduate taught scholarships worth £5,000 towards the tuition fee. Applications are now open for existing offer holders.